


A New Journey

by inpurifyingflame



Series: Journey Trilogy + Companion [4]
Category: The Hobbit (Jackson Movies), The Hobbit - All Media Types, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: M/M, Parenthood, parent!thilbo
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-04-03
Updated: 2014-04-03
Packaged: 2018-01-18 00:30:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,154
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1408315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/inpurifyingflame/pseuds/inpurifyingflame
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After a dwarrow caraven is attacked by orcs on the way back to Erebor, Thorin makes a discovery that will change his life. Rated M for a small amount of mature content. Parent!Thilbo</p>
            </blockquote>





	A New Journey

**Author’s Note:** A long one-shot about Thorin and Bilbo’s daughter. This is not m-preg though I have absolutely no aversion to it. It’s just the way the story came to me. I wanted something domestic with humour.

**Disclaimer:** I do not own anything that I’m writing, nor do I wish to profit from it. It’s all just a bit of fun from a sleepy Australian girl. All mistakes are mine.'

* * *

 

**A New Journey**

Bilbo could not figure out what irked him the most. Was it the fact that, by the letters he was receiving from cousins and distant relations, every hobbit he knew now had a family? Perhaps it was that Thorin refused to discuss the concept of children? Or maybe it was that Bilbo yearned to raise a child of his own and had no way to do it.

That would be the one.

Bilbo was still middle aged for a hobbit and his belly had regained the same softness it had in The Shire. It was natural to feel paternal at his age, perhaps he should’ve have been feeling this earlier but the nonsense with the dragon had taken up a lot of his time. He had fallen in love and been courted by the king under the mountain. He was wed and subsequently crowned consort to Thorin.

Bilbo was happy under the mountain. He either woke to the feeling of Thorin’s lips on his own or he woke Thorin by doing the same. He would prepare breakfast while Thorin got himself ready for the day’s business and they would eat together before Thorin went on his way. Bilbo allowed their chambers to be cleaned only after dinner and thus tidied before he too began his day.

He ventured out most days to feel the sun on his skin, to feel the grass between his hairy toes and to smoke his pipe in the great outdoors. Bilbo would take elevenses out with him and go back in for luncheon. He would then follow up with any business or venture to the library. Some days he would find one of his friends and have a talk or join Thorin in meetings, tours and planning.

Thorin would mostly always have afternoon tea with him and they would spend the time writing their letters before dinner. This is where Bilbo approached the topic of children.

“Why could you not father and raise a child? I would certainly be uncomfortable but I could forget that once our child was here.”

“Bilbo,” Thorin sighed, rubbing a hand against his temple, “For one thing I don’t want to lay with another and secondly I simply don’t have the time for children.”

“Your ancestors certainly had the time,” Bilbo argued.

“My ancestors were much younger than I when their own children were born.”

“How old?” Bilbo asked.

Thorin replied patiently, trying to get off the topic, “Perhaps no more than a hundred and twenty years. Older than sixty sure enough.”

“You’re not even two hundred,” Bilbo scoffed, “You’re hardly in your late years.”

“I am nearer my second century than my first,” Thorin spoke softly, his pen scribbling along the paper marking his traditional runes, “Much too old to father a child.”

“Well I’m sorry but I do want the chance to raise a child before I…” Bilbo trailed off and Thorin’s eyes widened.

“Before you…?” Thorin urged, knowing exactly what Bilbo was going to say.

Bilbo huffed, “Before I die! We hobbits live quite a shorter life than you dwarves. ”

Thorin bowed his head, “I know.”

Bilbo continued, “I mean, I merely have perhaps fifty years to live.”

“Don’t speak of it,” Thorin said sounding pained at the thought of the hobbit’s death, “I know in the years to come I will have to rule without you by my side.”

Bilbo’s hand touched Thorin’s and the dwarf flinched.

“Thorin I’m sorry, I shouldn’t say such things.”

Thorin shook his head, the gems of his crown glistening in the light from the torches, “I am sorry my love for I cannot give you most desire.”

 

* * *

 

Thorin was perhaps mistaken at those words he said not a few weeks ago. He had entirely forgotten about them until an orc pack was spotted with relics noted from dwarven caravans. He had ridden out with his army in a haste response and they had killed any orc too stupid to run.

The army had found the caravan ransacked with their kin splintered and dead with swords and arrows. The soldiers placed each of the dead on clean grass and Thorin knelt with each to lend his blessings. Wagons had been crashed and wrecked and his kin had put up a brave battle by the surrounding dead enemies.

“What’s that noise?” A voice shouted.

A cry echoed from a wagon, too shrill and sharp to be any voice but a child’s. Thorin leapt from his place beside the dead and hurried to the wagon where the voice was heard louder.

He pushed aside the splintered wreckage with grunts until he heaved the overturned seat upright. On the ground, bundled in blankets was a tiny dwarf babe, mouth twisted as it continued crying. All that Thorin could see of it was its flushed face that had the beginnings of natural featherings.

“Over here!” He shouted.

Thorin knelt down and gently picked up the child in his large hands. It was small, much smaller than Thorin remembered his nephews to be when they had been born but he couldn’t worry about that.

He cradled the babe in his arms and looked to his soldiers before his eyes landed on Dwalin, “Send word ahead that we’re arriving with a newborn.”

Dwalin’s eyes went wide but he nodded all the same and rode hard back to the mountain. Two midwives were standing ready for Thorin’s arrival and he came back into his kingdom panting, the tiny child held to his chest.

Balin and Bilbo were also waiting for the returning army and greeted Thorin as he stepped down from his mount.

“What happened?” He asked quickly, moving to settle the pony.

“Orcs,” Thorin growled and the babe let out a noise at the harshness of his voice that began another bout of crying, “The little one is the only survivor of the caravan that had been expected.”

“How could that be?” Bilbo asked and offered his arms to take the child.

Thorin gently handed the child over and Bilbo immediately managed to soothe it.

“It was underneath the rubble and wreckage,” Thorin said, “It must’ve been quiet while the orcs attacked.”

“It?” Bilbo asked as he supported the babe’s bottom and patted its back, “Thorin this baby is a girl.”

“Whatever it is,” One of the midwives spoke, “The babe needs to be seen to.”

Thorin looked Bilbo in the eyes and saw a spark, “Bilbo can you watch over her?”

Bilbo nodded and followed the midwives up to the physician’s ward.

Thorin had finally dealt with the entirety of questions and papers he had to write after their findings. It was late, almost late enough to be considered very early morning and he gave a loud yawn. Bilbo was still nowhere to be found.

He got to his feet and thought of their marble tub up in their chambers but shook his head free of any thought but Bilbo. Thorin made his way to the physician’s ward where he had last heard of his husband and pushed open the entrance door.

Óin looked up from his desk, corked bottles and scraps of paper littering the surface, “Ah my king, Master Baggins is in the nursery with the orphan babe.”

“Thank you Óin,” Thorin nodded and the older dwarf returned to his work.

Thorin walked up the passage way and knocked softly on the door that held the nursery. There had not been a child in the nursery since the days before the dragon and no child had been orphaned or injured for a very long time even before that.

Thorin knocked again and with no answer he opened the door. He smiled at the sight before him. Bilbo was asleep in a hard backed chair which he had pulled up alongside a cradle. The cradle held the sleeping child who had a tiny hand wrapped around one of Bilbo’s fingers.

Thorin moved over to the pair and gently shook Bilbo awake, “Hello my love.”

Bilbo smiled sleepily up at him, “Good evening.”

“Morning,” Thorin corrected, “The sky glows with the beginnings of the morning sun. How goes the child?”

“She bears no wounds,” Bilbo explained as the small fist tightened over his finger when he tried to move it, “The midwives believe she is healthy and about four months in age but that she was born frightfully early. That is why she is very small. Did you locate her mother?”

“We will return to collect the dead this morning,” Thorin said, transfixed on the way the little girl’s eyelashes fluttered in her sleep, “One of the midwives will look over the women to see who has bore a child. I have no way to identify her father until after that has been done. Balin will also send a notice out.”

“Oh,” Bilbo said looking quite sad, “So she is orphaned?”

“I think so, yes.”

Bilbo looked up at him again, this time with longing and Thorin sighed, “You want to care for her if she is found to be without her parents. Don’t you?”

Bilbo nodded, his curls bouncing against his forehead, “She’s so little.”

Thorin ran his fingers down Bilbo’s cheek, “Perhaps if we cannot find her father or mother we can have a discussion.”

“And for now?”

Thorin smiled, “For now I need you to look after her.”

 

* * *

 

“We’ve had a letter,” Balin said, his tone miserable and Thorin looked up, “The child was already an orphan. She was travelling with the last of her family.”

“Does it tell how her parents died?” Thorin asked, his eyes crinkling with worry.

Balin nodded and looked again at the paper, “Her mother in childbirth, her father in a scouting mission.”

“She is quite alone in the world,” Thorin said thoughtfully.

“Perhaps not entirely alone,” Balin said and before Thorin could question his words the white-haired dwarf left the council room.

The letter remained on Thorin’s bench and after his lunch he scrunched it in a tight fist and made his way back to the physician’s nursery. He knocked lightly and after being bid to enter he pushed the door open.

“Thorin,” Bilbo smiled, still sitting in the same chair as a few days ago, “She’s still asleep from her afternoon nap.”

Thorin kissed Bilbo’s curls, unable to properly greet him with his lips and quietly pulled up a chair across from him.

“Balin received a letter today,” Thorin spoke softly, “It appears that the child is an orphan.”

Bilbo looked at him, a spark forming in his eyes despite his saddened expression, “She has no distant relatives?”

“Her parents had already passed. The only family of hers that remained were slaughtered trying to return to the mountain,” Thorin explained and watched the child stir in Bilbo’s arms.

Thorin’s tone grew harsh at the end of his explanation and the child let out a cry. Bilbo glanced down at her, holding her a little closer and mumbling soft words to sooth her unrest.

“What do we do?” The hobbit asked as the little girl’s eyes opened.

“There has never been a situation such as this,” Thorin said gently, “We must be cautious, dwarrow children are few and far between and there may still be family wishing to claim her that we have not found.”

“But she has nobody in Erebor,” Bilbo breathed, his finger now trapped by a small yet tight grip, “Except…”

Thorin caught the pause, “Bilbo.”

“Thorin I am not any happier than you are at the current situation, especially with the roads from Ered Luin becoming so dangerous. But the child cannot remain in this nursery until she becomes of age. That should be the fate of no child.”

“You have become attached,” Thorin mumbled and it was not a question.

“Surely you understand,” Bilbo said, his voice nearly pleading, “I long for a child. You place her in my charge and now you are aghast at my feelings for her.”

“I … the time for a child,” Thorin said brokenly, “I am old. She will barely be of age when you pass and hardly touching adulthood when I do.”

“Thorin, please,” Bilbo said, his voice barely louder than a whisper, “At least she will know love.”

Thorin sighed at looked down at the child. Her bright blue eyes shone back at him and she wriggled amongst her blankets. Her mouth formed a circle and she let out a coo. Bilbo’s free hand came down to rub circles on her now exposed tummy and she let out a giggle but her eyes never left the king’s.

“We will have problems if someone comes forward to claim her as blood,” Thorin murmured, “I cannot overrule that bond.”

“I know,” Bilbo replied simply, “I expect it to happen but she could be ours for a little while couldn’t she?”

Thorin bowed his head, “I do not want you to feel the pain of losing her if it does happen.”

“I will manage,” Bilbo said looking confident that he could but Thorin wasn’t certain.

"If you see Óin to have her health documented you may bring her home tomorrow," Thorin said and Bilbo's mouth formed a blinding smile.

_"_ I will.”

Thorin watched his husband and the … his child for a few moments before standing up and pushing his chair to its original position. He had just about closed the door when he heard Bilbo singing.

“The road goes ever on and on, down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the road has gone and I must follow if I can.”

Thorin shut the door softly and made his way back to his apartments. He had some work to do.

 

* * *

 

The child was small, no doubt about it. Bilbo clothed his baby girl in garments fit for newborn dwarves, not children who were just passing four months of age. Óin had signed off on his documents regarding the child’s health and the child had spent her last night in the nursery.

With Bilbo by her side of course.

The hobbit was exhausted, having not spent any of the past few nights in his own bed being cuddled by his husband. He carried his daughter through the kingdom, passing the trade markets on the way and ignoring the stares directed at the hobbit and dwarf babe.

Bilbo felt immense relief as he made it to the royal corridor and to his own front door. He smiled at the sight of the forest green door, painted the colour of Bag End at Thorin’s request just to give Bilbo a sense of home. Bilbo steadied the child in one arm and pushed the door open with the other.

The familiar view of the entrance with the parlour off to the side made him feel safe and secure. He couldn’t wait to sit in his armchair cuddling the child before putting her to bed and recounting his day to his husband.

Bilbo stopped suddenly, realising he had gotten nothing prepared for her to come home. He walked steadily from room to room trying to find somewhere for the child to sleep when he found a peculiar and much needed sight.

One of their spare rooms had been changed into a nursery. A bassinet, frilled with white laces, sat in one corner. A rocking chair with a woollen blanket over it sat in another. A table for changing was across from the bassinet. Bilbo noted a mobile hanging over the bassinet and found himself looking at a miniature fabric hobbit, dwarf and dragon surrounded by many hanging gems.

Bilbo looked up at the ceiling and saw the carvings had been refined and polished. Shelves had been installed on the walls and held soft toys, blankets and shining glass bottles. A large shaggy rug was in the middle to create some warmth on the floor and a new barrier put in front of the fire to save prying and curious fingers.

“Do you like it?” Thorin’s voice quietly inquired and Bilbo looked at him with tears in his eyes.

“It’s perfect, absolutely amazing,” Bilbo breathed, “Thank you.”

“She is my child too, is she not?” Thorin asked and without waiting for an answer he dipped his head to brush his lips upon the child’s head.

“Of course,” Bilbo gasped out.

“However you are changing her towel,” Thorin said with a slightly wrinkled nose and as soon as he said it Bilbo smelt the same.

“Dear me,” He said and placed on her the cushioned surface of the change table.

Thorin had made to leave but Bilbo had undone the pins of the dirty cloth napkin and was not letting Thorin get off so easily.

“Fill a bucket and let it soak,” Bilbo said in a sing-song voice, handing his husband the soiled cloth.

Thorin was not pleased.

 

* * *

 

Bilbo had put his daughter down to sleep and wearily grabbed his most recent book, a historical novel, and collapsed into his armchair next to a most bemused Thorin.

“Tired my love?”

“You’ve no idea,” Bilbo replied stretching out his aching limbs before opening the book.

He was several chapters ahead of his original place when he saw the name. He nudged Thorin who let out a snore and insisted he wasn’t asleep.

“Of course not,” Bilbo snorted and held out the book, “What do you think?”

“Of what?”

“The name,” Bilbo said impatiently and sounded it out, “Ahaerya.”

“For what?” Thorin was very confused and only slightly awake.

“Ahaerya, for our new child?” Bilbo growled softly, nearly seething at Thorin’s lack of consciousness.

“Ahaerya,” Thorin mumbled, trying it out for himself, “Pretty name for a pretty dwarf babe. Lady Ahaerya.”

Bilbo took pity on the sleepy king and they stumbled into bed, falling asleep with their bodies entwined as they did every night. Bilbo’s sleep was restless. His dreams were plagued by a baby’s cry and he couldn’t find the child the voice belonged too. His eyes blinked open and as the rest of his body came to he heard the cry. Only louder.

“Gods,” Bilbo mumbled pushing the sheets away to stand up and tie his dressing gown around his body while the cries continued, “I’m coming Rya.”

Bilbo shuffled into the nursery to find the babe’s arms waving about and a shrieking coming from her mouth. He drew back the covers and bundled the little dwarf into his arms.

“There my darling,” He said soothingly, “My Ahaerya, nothing’s the matter.”

Bilbo quickly felt she wasn’t wet and instead went out to the kitchenette to heat up a bottle in a saucepan. After testing the temperature on his wrist and deeming it acceptable Bilbo offered the bottle to the still crying babe who refused.

“Oh Ahaerya what’s wrong?”

Bilbo tried singing and humming, he tried rubbing soothing patterns on her back and tried to burp her but to no avail.

Thorin had woken up when Bilbo left the bed. He heard preparations to make up the bottle and he heard the continuous cries from the little girl. Finally Thorin also got out of bed to help his flailing husband.

“Bilbo?”

“Thorin,” Bilbo said, his face very red either from the steam of the pot or his own frustrations, “I’m sorry, I’ll get her back down.”

“It’s okay,” Thorin mused as he took Ahaerya and walked back to the nursery, “Where are they?”

“Where are what?” Bilbo asked, pacing the room as if ready to pounce for something that will calm his girl down.

“The soothing rings made of smoothed bone,” Thorin said and reached up to a shelf exclaiming in delight when his fingers found their target, “Teething is a dangerous business.”

Thorin pulled the rings down and unlatched one from holder. He gently placed Ahaerya in her cradle and touched the ring to her mouth. It was an almost immediate reaction as the child’s mouth latched onto the ring

“You were scared,” Thorin said softly and traced Bilbo’s tired features.

“I was,” Bilbo said and watched as Ahaerya’s eyes drooped shut, “Go back to bed Thorin, you don’t need to be awake.”

“Mmm I don’t mind,” Thorin said softly, “We’ll go back once she’s down again.”

He couldn’t tear his eyes away from the sleeping child.

 

* * *

 

Thorin’s hearing had become greatly sensitive rather than declined as he aged. He knew this from the years of roaming the land, remaining out of trouble and finally in his quest to reclaim Erebor.

The past few months had seen his hearing amplified and he was woken by the simplest noise his daughter made through the night. Thorin would pull himself out of bed to quickly check her eyes were still shut and the soothing ring in arm’s reach.

That is why he lay awake with his eyes shut listening to Bilbo potter around in their kitchenette preparing Ahaerya’s first breakfast and their own as well as snacks for second breakfast.

“How are today Rya?” Bilbo asked the child who banged her spoon on the smooth surface of the table, obviously in her high seat.

“Chee bek!” Ahaerya replied noisily and Bilbo chuckled.

“Breakfast is coming my darling one,” Bilbo said, wincing as the bowl he was using clattered a little too loudly on the bench, “We’ve got some strained apple and peaches for our first breakfast this morning with some mashed oats and milk.”

Ahaerya’s laughter increased.

“Shh we mustn’t tell your father about the surprise though,” Bilbo stage-whispered and Thorin smiled when he heard Ahaerya’s babbling nonsense in reply.

“Yes,” Bilbo said, “I’m going to see how you like toast and jam.”

Thorin paused at this but decided to allow Bilbo to go ahead. The child would not be harmed with toast of all things.

“Your father despises jam,” Bilbo said, “I hope you will not take after him in that area.”

Thorin continued listening to the chaos of their morning routine and decided after Ahaerya’s second offending squawk that morning that he would rise. Thorin carefully washed his face in the bowl on their dresser and dressed in his comfortable tunic and pants. He decided to leave his feet bare until it was time to depart.

He entered the kitchenette and smiled at the sight. Bilbo and Ahaerya were covered in a mixture of strawberry jam, mashed apple, peaches and oats. A little bit of each was dabbed into the bench top and an entire half of a peach had somehow been tangled in his daughter’s hair.

Thorin couldn’t help but let out a roar of laughter.

Bilbo scowled.

“If you think this is so funny Mister Oakenshield you can clean it up and finish feeding _your_ daughter while I take a bath and rinse out my clothes,” Bilbo snarled, his features softening as he kissed the only clean part of Ahaerya’s head and moved into the bedroom.

Thorin didn’t mind taking over the mayhem. He didn’t see any point in cleaning his child up before she finished her breakfast so he sat next to her with his own bowl of fruit and oats, holding his spoon. Ahaerya mimicked his actions and picked up her spoon.

“Good Rya, good girl,” Thorin praised as she finished off the remnants of her breakfast, “Your papa will be very proud.”

Thorin put their bowls in the wash basin and drenched a cloth to clean the child up.

“Your papa is very good to us baby girl,” Thorin said quietly, “I nearly didn’t have your papa all to myself and your papa and I very nearly didn’t have you.”

“Papa,” Ahaerya squealed as Thorin wiped her face with a damp cloth and paused at attempting to remove the smeared apple from her growing beard.

“What?” Thorin asked just as Ahaerya spoke again.

“Papa!” She giggled pulling at her beard before pointing at a shocked Bilbo who entered the room as Ahaerya said her first word.

“Beautiful girl!” Bilbo exclaimed and swooped in to cover the child in as many kisses as he could.

“She likes you more,” Thorin said grumpily, deeming Ahaerya’s skin and hair clean enough despite her messy clothes.

Bilbo huffed, picking Rya up from her high seat, “Papa is easier to say than father, Thorin.”

“Mmm,” Thorin unwillingly agreed as he wiped down the bench.

 

* * *

 

“Papa!” Ahaerya screamed as she stood up in her room, “Papa! Papa!”

As soon as Bilbo heard his daughter’s first shout he was up off the bed where he dozed lazily with Thorin relaxing following the aftershocks of his orgasm. Thorin groaned, tossing him his dressing gown before donning a pair of underpants and following after Bilbo.

“Hello pretty girl,” Bilbo cooed as he cuddled the child to his chest, “What’s the matter?”

Ahaerya just whimpered into Bilbo’s shoulder, a pudgy hand coming up to wipe angrily at the tears falling from her eyes. Bilbo gave a helpless expression to Thorin and he kissed his daughter’s light brown curls.

“I’ll run a bath,” The king murmured, “It always calms her down and we could use one too.”

“Mmm,” Bilbo agreed and nuzzled Thorin’s rough cheek, “Thank you. Now my darling, why are you crying?”

“Scare me,” Ahaerya hiccoughed.

“What scared you?”

“Dream.”

“A nightmare?” Bilbo wondered out loud, “Oh you’re too young for nightmares.”

Bilbo prepared Ahaerya, stripping her out of her nightgown and unpinned her hair. He ran his fingers through the strands and she sneezed.

“Bless you.”

“Bilbo,” Thorin called, “It’s full. Are you ready?”

“Yes, coming,” Bilbo replied, scooping Ahaerya up in a fluffy towel and he took her into his and Thorin’s shared bathroom.

The bath was full to the brim with bubbles and Bilbo handed his daughter to Thorin who was sitting on the step at the lip of the bath in his underclothes. Ahaerya kicked out as her feet touched the bubbles and laughed when some ended up on Thorin’s beard.

Bilbo chuckled as he quickly walked back into the bedroom and took off his dressing gown, folded it up and replaced it with his own underpants. He then joined his family in the large pool of water. He paddled to the other side and held out his arms.

Thorin whispered something to Ahaerya and the child turned in his arms to look at Bilbo. She smiled and Thorin supported her stomach as she began to swim. He let go once she was half way and grinned as Ahaerya paddled the rest of her way into Bilbo’s arms by herself.

“Oh good girl!” Bilbo praised, “Well done! Are you going to swim back?”

“Yesh,” Ahaerya giggled and Bilbo repeated Thorin’s actions as the child paddled back to Thorin.

Thorin scooped her up and kissed her chubby tummy causing Ahaerya to give a cry of laughter that echoed around the bathroom. Bilbo swam over and scooped up a pile of bubbles, dumping them on Thorin’s head.

“Is that any way to treat a king?” Thorin asked with one eyebrow quirking.

“The only way,” Bilbo laughed and bobbed under water to wet his hair.

He emerged with his own set of hair bubbles with his curls plastered straight to his head and Thorin gave a hearty chuckle. Bilbo set to washing their little girl’s hair, running his fingers through the wet strands. He filled a scoop full of water and rinsed out the soap much to the annoyance of Ahaerya who wriggled around in Thorin’s arms trying to squirm away.

“Rya, hold still,” Thorin said as Ahaerya moved away from the oncoming scoop.

“Nooooo,” She cried and shut her eyes as the water cascaded down.

“All done,” Bilbo soothed, “It’s probably time to get you back to bed anyway.”

Bilbo climbed out and held out Ahaerya’s big towel, ready for Thorin to bundle her up. They took turns in drying her down before towelling their own bodies and Bilbo dressed her in a clean nightgown. Thorin ran a brush through her hair, the wisps on her cheeks drying almost instantly.

“If only _my_ beard dried that quickly,” Thorin mused and Bilbo smiled.

“If only,” He said, cuddling the sleepy child in his arms as they walked to her room, “It would save a lot of discomfort after our _intimate_ baths when all we want to do is kiss and sleep.”

“Mmm.”

Bilbo pulled back Ahaerya’s sheets with his free hand and placed the child down. He pulled the covers and the fur blanket up over the small body.

“Story,” Ahaerya mumbled, pulling the sheets up to her chin and holding them tight.

Bilbo looked at Thorin who said, “I’ll tell it. You go and change.”

“Thank you,” Bilbo replied, a hand squeezing Thorin’s shoulder affectionately.

Thorin turned to Ahaerya, “So a story eh? I think I’ll tell you the best story I know. One day there was a hobbit who lived in a hole in the ground.”

“Papa,” Ahaerya murmured.

“Yes, your Papa,” Thorin grinned, “He was very comfortable with his home and his life, going to the market and making second breakfast. Then one day a wizard came to his house and asked if he wanted to go on an adventure. Oh no the hobbit said and shut the door. The wizard wasn’t happy with this answer and told his company to arrive on his doorstep anyway.”

Thorin looked up from his daughter and continued, “The dwarves arrived first one by one; Uncle Dwalin and Balin, your cousins Fili and Kili and then the big group. The poor hobbit was half stunned by the group that turned up and they ate him out of house and home. Then the leader arrived and he did not make quite the intended impression on the hobbit.”

“She’s asleep,” A voice came from the door and Thorin, caught up in his memories, looked down at Ahaerya sleeping peacefully, “You tell rather the epic.”

Thorin stood up and turned down the lantern to make the room dark before walking to do the door, “I do indeed.”

Bilbo smiled and cuddled into Thorin’s embrace, “She’s perfect.”

“If it weren’t for your insistence we wouldn’t have her at all,” Thorin said quietly, “Thank you for changing my mind.”

“Nobody can change your mind once its set,” Bilbo spoke into Thorin’s chest.

“Perhaps Rya is the only one,” Thorin replied and let out a soft roar of a yawn.

“Shush,” Bilbo whispered, “Come on your majesty, bed time.”

“Can we cuddle?” Thorin asked.

Bilbo replied with an answering laugh.

* * *

 

**A/N:** This could be considered a later companion piece to the Journey Trilogy. Thank you for all of the support, you’re amazing!


End file.
